Internal-combustion engine



5 Sheets-Sheet l Arron/ve: Y:

April 16, 1946. H. J. HlcKEY INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed June 30,1944 April 16, 1946. H. J. HlcKEY INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 30, 1944 INVENToR. HENR/ J.' HIC/(sy B KZQZ.

Hf'rveMs-ys 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 H. J. HICKEY.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed June 30, 1944 1U* INVENToR.

BY HEM/2f J HfcKEY Arroz/YE Ys April 16, 1946.

April 16, 1946. H. J. HICKEY INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed June 30,1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 14ML@ Mmwfw am@ ,4free/vs YS April 16, 1946 H. J.HlcKEY INTERNAL-'COMBUSTIN ENGINE Filed June 50, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 5Patented Apr. 16, 1946 UNITED sTATEs PATENT ori-ica INTERNAL-COMBUSTIONENGINE Henri J. Hickey, Cleveland, Ohio Application June 30, 1944,Serial No. 542,941

l 19 Claims. (Cl. 12S-48) This invention relates to internal combustionengines and, as one of its broader objects, aims to provide an improvedengine embodying novel means -by which the compression ratio can bevaried while the 'engine is in operation so as to render the enginereadily adaptable for eihcient performance under varying conditions ofoperation. .mmrghh Another object of the invention is to provide animproved engine of this character, in which the means for varying thecompression ratio requires the use of only a small number of additionalparts and accomplishes the desired result in a direct and efllcientmanner without disturbing the timing or valve cycle of the engine.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved engineIof the character mentioned, in which the means for varying thecompression ratio involves the use of a fulcrum having concentric andeccentric bearing portions with which piston-operated linkage cooperatesand wherein adjustment of such fulcrum modies the action of the linkageand the compression stroke of the piston.

The invention can be further brieiiy summarized as consisting in certainnovel combinations and arrangement of parts hereinafter described andparticularly set out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings,

Fig. 1 is a. transverse sectional view taken through an engineconstructed according to the present invention and showing the pistonsat the end of their inward or compression stroke, the view being takensubstantially on line I-I of Fig. 3.

Fig. 2 is a partial transverse sectional view similar to Fig. 1- butshowing the pistons at the end of their outward or power stroke.

Fig. 3 is a. side view of the engine showing the same partly inelevation and partly in section and with a side cover of the engineremoved.

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional plan view taken1 on line 4 4 of Fig. 2 andshowing the adjustable fulcrum.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4 andshowing the fulcrum adjusting means.

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view similar to Fig. 5 but showing thefulcrum shifted to a different Position.

Fig. `7 is a sectional detail view taken approximately on the line 'I-1of Fig. 3 and showing the bracket and related parts for supporting andadjusting the fulcrum.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken through such bracket and related partsas indicated by line 8-8 of Fig. '1.

Fig. 9 is an elevational view looking toward the end oi' the bracket.

Fig. 10 is a partial transverse sectional view on the order of Fig. 1,but showing a modified form of the improved engine.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10, but showing the fulcrum of themodied engine shifted to a diirerent position, and

Fig. 12 is a sectional plan view taken through the modied constructionon line I2-I2 of Fig. 10.

In the embodiment of the variable compression engine shown in Figs. 1 to9 inclusive, the engine is provided with a block or housing I5 whichcontains one or more laterally or horizontally extending cylinders Iland a crankcase I1 located beneath the cylinders. 'Ihe cylinders I6 canbe formed directly in the housing I5 or may be in the form of open-endedsleeves I8 mounted in the hpusing. The engine also includes a crankshaftI9 mounted in suitable main bearings 25 2o of the housing and a pair ofpower pistons 2| and 22 reciprocable in each of the cylinders I 6 andconnected with the crankshaft by linkage which will be presentlydescribed.

The housing I5 is constructed so as to contain a cooling jacket 23surrounding the cylinders I6 and to which water or other cooling mediumcan be supplied through the pipe 2|. 'I he housing also contains aninlet passage or intake manifold!! and an exhaust passage or manifold26. A supply pipe 21 is connected with the housing and through which airunder pressure, or if desired a combustible mixture, can be supplied tothe passage or manifold25. An exhaust pipe 28 is connected with thepassage or manifold 2S to receive the exhaust gases therefrom. The wallof each of the cylinders I 6 is provided with longitudinally spacedgroups of ports 29 and III of which the ports 2! are inlet portscommunicating with the intake manifold 25 and the ports Il are outlet orexhaust ports, communicating with the exhaust manifold 28. Theintermediate portion or section oi' the cylinders lying between theinlet and exhaust ports 29 and 3o provides an expansible power chamberor combustion space 32 in which the fuel charge is compressed andburned.

The crankshaft I9 extends transversely to the axis of the cylinders I6and is offset therefrom soastolie inthecrankcase Il. `The crankshaft isrotatable about an axis lying in a plane which extends across thecylinders at substantially the midpoint thereof. As shown in thedrawings the crankshaft is provided with a pair of adjacent cranks |9aand |9b for each of the cylinders I6 and which cranks are spaced apartsuitable anguiar distances.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings the pistons 2| and 22 are shown at the innerend of their compression stroke. In Fig. 2 the pistons 2l and 22 areshown at the outer end of their power stroke at which time the inletport 29 has been uncovered by the piston 2| and the exhaust port 39 hasbeen uncovered bythe piston 22. When the pistons are in the positionshown in' Fig. 2, compressed air from the manifold 25 enters thecylinder I6 through the port 29 displacing the burned gases from thecylinder through exhaust port 30 and at the same time scavenging thecylinder and leaving therein a quantity of fresh air for the compressionstroke which immediately follows. During the inward or compressionstroke of the pistons, the ports 29 and 38 are closed and the airremaining in the combustion chamber 32 is compressed as the compressionspace represented by the chamber progressively decreases.

At an appropriate point in the cycle of operation, preferably justbefore the pistons reach the inner end of their travel, a quantity offuel such as gasoline or other suitable hydrocarbon is injected into thecylinder through the fuel nozzle .33. The fuel becomes thoroughly mixedwith the air in the combustion chamber 32 as the result of the greatturbulencewhich occurs in the cylinder during the' compression stroke ofthe pistons. lAt an appropriate point in the operating cycle, thecompressed fuel mixture is ignited as by means of a spark plug or othersuitable ignitor 34, or by compression. During the resulting powerstroke of the pistons 2| and 22, thrust is transmitted to the crankshaftI9 through the linkage which will be described next.

The linkages which connect the pistons 2| and 22 with the pair ofadjacent cranks |9a and 20a of the crankshaft |9 are of identicalconstruction and therefore the same reference characters and thefollowing detailed description apply to both linkages. This linkagecomprises upper and lower connecting rods or links 38 and 31 and arockable or oscillating lever 38 connecting such rods. The upperconnecting rod 36 has one end thereof connected with one of the pistonsby means of wrist pin 39 and its other end connected with the upper endof the lever 38 -by the pivot pin 40. The lower connecting rod 31 isprovided at one end with a head or bearing 31a which is connected withone of the cranks of the crankshaft |9 and its other end is connectedwith the lower end of the lever 38 by a pivot pin 4|.

As previously indicated herein, an important feature of the improvedengine is the means by which the compression ratio of the engine can bevaried while the engine is in operation so as to meet or suit varyingconditions under which the engine is being used. This means for varyingthe compression ratio includes an adjustable fulcrum 43 with which thelever 38 has rocking or oscillating cooperation during reciprocation ofthe power piston in the cylinder IB. In the form of the engine shown inFigs. l to 9 inclusive, the fulcrum 43 is in the form of a cam having aconvex bearing surface 44 rockably engaged by an external ilat bearingface 45 recessed into the lever 38 and extending longitudinally thereof.The convex bearing surface 44 of the cam in cludes a substantiallyconcentric portion 44a extending around the major portion of theperiphery of the cam and an eccentric or lobular bearing portion 44hwhich constitutes a relatively smaller section of the periphery of thecam. As shown in the drawings, portions of the lever 38 which arelocated on opposite sides of the bearing face 45 form shoulders whichoverlap the ends of the fulcrum element 43.

During the operation of the engine, the lever 38 is rocked by thecompression stroke of the piston from the position shown in Fig. 2 tothe position shown in Fig. 1, or in other words, is rocked from theconcentric bearing portion 44a l5 of the cam onto the eccentric portion44h. The

movement of the lever 38 onto the eccentric portion 44h causes thepiston to be moved through a longer compression stroke and results in ahigher compression ratio being obtained. During the power stroke thelever 38 is rocked from the position shown in Fig. 1 back to theposition shown in Fig. 2 or, in other words, is rocked from theeccentric portion 44h of the cam onto the concentric portion 44a. Thereturn of the lever 38 to the concentric portion 44a automaticallyshortens or limits the power stroke of the piston so that its outwardtravel will always terminate at the same point of the cylinder I8 withrespect to the inlet ports 29. In this way the timing of the functionswhich occur during the cycle of operation and the valving of the engineare not disturbed as the resultof the variation in the compressionratio.

The cam constituting the fulcrum 43 can be in the form of a sleevesupported by a shaft 41 which extends substantially parallel with thecrankshaft I9 and serves all of the cylinders of the engine. The shaft41 provides a xed axis about which the cam 43 is arcuately movable, in

a. manner to be presently explained, for varying the compression ratioof the engine. The shaft 41 is supported by and extends across a hollowor stirrup shaped bracket 48 which is mounted adjacent the outer end ofthe cylinder I6. The

lever 38 extends through the hollow bracket 48,

as shown in Fig. l, so as to lie between the fulcrum 43 and the adjacentend of the cylinder, that is to say, the lever lies wholly on thecylinder side of the fulcrum. The bracket 48 is lo- 50 cated such thatthe axis of the shaft 41 will lie in a plane extending. substantiallyparallel with the axis of the cylinder I8 but lying between such axisand the axis of the crank shaft |9.

The cam 43 can be arcuately adjusted as above indicated for the purposeof shifting the point of rocking engagement of the lever 38 therewith soas to vary the compression ratio of the engine. For this purpose. Iprovide the cam with a gear sector 49 with which a gear sector 58 of ooan adjusting lever 5| meshes. The adjusting lever 5| is supported in thehollow bracket 48 by a short shaft 52 (see Fig. 8) and can be swung oractuated on such shaft by means of an actuating rod 53 to thereby rotateor arcuately shift the cam 43 about the fixed axis provided by the shaft41. When the cam is shifted in a counterclockwise direction as seen inFig. l and to a setting such as that represented in Fig. 6, the lobe orhigh point of the cam forming a part of the 7o eccentric bearing portion44h becomes more effective in modifying the rocking movement of thelever 38 and increases the compression stroke of the piston whichresults in a higher compression ratio for the engine. When the cam isshifted in the opposite direction, that is, in a clock-wise direction asseen in Fig. 1 and to a setting such as that represented in Fig. 5, thelobe or high point of the cam becomes less effective on the lever 33 andthe piston operates with a relatively decreased compression stroke andthe compression ratio of the engine is lowered corre- SDOndingly.

The adjustment of the cam 43 in the manner just described above, iscarried out simultaneously for both sides of the engine and can beaccomplished by the use of any appropriate actuating mechanism. In thisinstance, I show a pivoted hand lever I6 for this purpose with a link 66extending therefrom and connected wtih the lower ends of the actuatingrods 53 by means of the pivoted bell-crank levers 61. The adjusting1ever 6l can be retained in a position corresponding with the desiredsettings of the cams 43 by a suitable pawl and ratchet means lf3.

While the engine is in operation the lever 33 remains constantly inengagement with the convex bearing surface of its cam or fulcrum 43 butto prevent this lever from shifting away such bearing surface of thefulcrum at other times. a retaining means is preferably provided such asa plunger 53 having a roller 60 which engages an inner bearing face 6|of the lever. A compression spring 62 constantly urges the plunger 59outwardly so as to hold the lever against the cam. 'I'he lever 36 isprevented from dropping downwardly through the hollow bracket I8 bymeans of one or more torque arms or retaining links 63 by which thelever 36 is suspended from the hollow bracket. As shown in the drawings,the upper end of the link 63 is pivotally connected with the bracket bymeans of a short shaft 6I and its lower end is connected with the pivotpin Il of the lower connecting rod 31. The lever 33 is also retained inproper operating position by the fact that the portion of the leverwhich carries the flat bearing surface 4'6 is recessed so that the cam43 extends thereinto.

As shown in Fig. 1, the housing I5 is provided at opposite sides thereofwith outwardly dished housing sections or covers 65 which can be removedto ail'ord access to the piston-actuated linkages and the adjustablefulcrums 43.

The air (or fuel mixture) which, as mentioned above, is supplied underpressure to the intake manifold 26 can be obtained from any availablesource such as a compressor or charge-forming device 66 which is drivenfrom the crankshaft I3 and is connected with the intake manifold by theconduit 66a.

` i In Figs. 10, 11 and 12 of the drawings, I show a modified form ofthe improved engine in which the means for adjusting the compressionratio functions in substantially the same manner as the apparatus abovedescribed but in which the fulcrum for the rocking lever 81 is formed byan eccentric 66 instead of a cam. The eccentric 63 is mounted on a shaft66 which extends across a hollow bracket 1li and provides a fixed axisabout which the eccentric can be adjusted by arcuate movement. The lever61 has a flat bearing surface 1i recessed therein which rockablycooperates with the convex bearing surface 12 of the eccentric duringthe operation of the engine. The lever 61 preferably does not engage thebearing surface of the eccentric directly but does so through a shoe 13which is interposed therebetween The shoe 13 is slidable longitudinallyoi' the lever 6'? on the recessed bearing surface 1I thereof and has aconcave bearing surface 14 which is arcuately slidable on the convexbearing surface 12 oi' the eccentric Il.

The convex bearing surface oi' the eccentric 68 includes a section orportion 63a which is substantially concentric with the axis of the shaft63 and a relatively longer peripheral portion 63h which is eccentric tothe axis of this shaft. During the operation of the engine the lever 61rocks back and forth causing the shoe 13 to slide back and forth on thefiat bearing surface 1| of the lever while its concave surface 14 shiftsarcuately on the eccentric 66 from the substantially concentric portion68a thereof onto the eccentric portion 68h and vice versa. During thepower stroke of the engine theshoe 13 shifts arcuately onto theconcentric portion 68a so as to always return the pistons to the same ornearly the same points of the cylinder with respect to the inlet andexhaust ports, as previously explained, and during the compressionstroke the shoe shifts arcuately onto the eccentric portion 68h so as toincrease the inward or compression stroke of the pistons and vary thecompression ratio an amount depending upon the setting or adjustment ofthe eccentric 68.

The shoe 13 is constructed of a shape to enable it to accomplish thefunction just explained and, as shown in the drawings, may comprise asubstantially flat block or body 13a having the arcuate or concavebearing surface 14 formed par tially in the body of the block andpartially in an integral arm 13b projecting from the lower end of theblock as seen in Figs. 10 and 1l. The

upper end of-the block is preferably truncated or, in other words, doesnot have such a projecting" arm because it is desirable to shorten thisend of the concave bearing surface 14 so that when the lever 61 isrocked during the power stroke of the piston the shoe will remain on theconcentric section 68a of the fulcrum so as to always return the pistonto a desired point relative to the inlet ports of the cylinder.

The eccentric constituting the fulcrum 66 can be adjusted about the axisof the shaft 69 in the same manner as previously described for the cam43 of Figs. 1 to 9 inclusiveand the various parts of the modified enginewhich are substantially identical with those of the embodimentpreviously described are indicated by the same reference characters. Thesetting of the eccentric 68 as shown in Fig. 10 corresponds with a.relatively lower compression ratio for the engine. Fig. 11 shows theeccentric 68 shifted arcuately on the shaft 69 in a counter-clockwiseldirection so as to render the eccentric bearing portion 68h moreeffective on the lever 61. The full-line position of the eccentric inFig. 11 produces a compression stroke of increased length for the pistonand corresponds with a relatively higher compression ratio for theengine.

From the foregoing description and accompanying drawings it will now bereadily understood that I have provided an internal combustion engine ofa compact and efficient construction and in which the compression ratiocan be varied while the engine is in operation.

While I have illustrated and described my improved engine inconsiderable detail it will be understood, of course, that I do not wishto be correspondingly limited, but regard my invention as including al1changes and modifications coming within the spirit of the invention andthe scope of the appended claims.

Having thus descibed my invention. I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having an open end and acombustion space inwardly of said open end, a crankshaft extendingtransversely to the axis of the cylinder and offset therefrom, a powerpiston reciprocable in said cylinder, means providing a fulcrum adjacentsaid open end of the cylinder, said fulcrum having a convex bearingsurface which includes concentric and eccentric portions, means operablyconnecting said power piston with said crankshaft including a leverlocated wholly on the cylinder side of said fulcrum and having a bearingsurface externally thereof, said lever being adapted to oscillate onsaid fulcrum by rocking of the external bearing surface of the leveragainst the convex bearing surface of the fulcrum such that the point ofcontact therebetween travels back and forth from the concentric bearingportion to the eccentric bearing portion and vice versa, and means formoving said fulcrum so as to vary the compression ratio of the engine.

2. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having an open end and acombustion space inwardly of said open end, a crankshaft extendingtransversely to the axis of the cylinder and oifset therefrom, a powerpiston reciprocable in said cylinder, a fulcrum adjacent said open endof the cylinder and having a convex bearing surface which includes aneccentric portion, means operably connecting said piston with saidcrankshaft including a lever located wholly on the cylinder side of saidfulcrum and having an external bearing surface engaging the fulcrum,said lever being rockable on said fulcrum and said external bearingsurface being engageable with said eccentric portion during thecompression stroke of the piston, and means for shifting said fulcrum tovary the extent of movement of said external bearing surface onto saideccentric portion for varying the compression stroke of the piston.

3. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having an open end and acombustion space inwardly of said open end, a crankshaft extendingtransversely to the axis of the cylinder and offset therefrom, a powerpiston reciprocable in said cylinder, a fulcrum adjacent said open endof the cylinder and having concentric and eccentric convex bearingportions, and means operably connecting said piston with said crankshaftincluding a lever rockable on said fulcrum, said lever being locatedwholly on the cylinder side of said fulcrum and having an externalbearing surface engaging the fulcrum and rockable from a concentricportion of said fulcrum onto an eccentric portion thereof during thecompression stroke of the piston and being rockable from said eccentricportion onto the concentric portion during the power stroke.

4. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having an open end and acombustion space inwardly of said open end, a crankshaft extendingtransversely to the axis of the cylinder and offset therefrom, a powerpiston reciprocable in said cylinder, said cylinder having a portcommunicating with Said combustion space and adapted to be uncovered bysaid piston during the power stroke thereof a fulcrum adjacent said openend of the cylinder and having concentric and eccentric convex bearingportions, means operably connecting said piston with said crankshaftincluding a lever rockable on said fulcrum, said lever being rockablefrom a concentric portion of said fulcrum onto an eccentric portionthereof during the compression stroke of the piston and being rockablefrom said eccentric portion onto the concentric portion durlng the powerstroke of the piston so that the travel of the piston will alwaysterminate at substantially the same pointrelative to said port, andmeans for shifting said fulcrum to vary the extent of movement of saidlever onto said eccentric portion during the compression stroke of thepiston for varying the compression ratio of the engine,

5. An internal combustion engine as defined in claim 2, in which saidfulcrum is arcuately movable about a fixed axis and the means forshifting said fulcrum comprises cooperating gear elements.

6. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having open ends and acombustion space in an intermediate portion thereof, a crankshaftrotatable about an axis extending transversely to the axis of thecylinder and offset therefrom, a pair of opposed power pistonsreciprocable in said cylinder, fulcrums located adjacent said open endsof the cylinder and having concentric and eccentric convex bearingportions, and means operably connecting said pistons with saidcrankshaft including levers rockablek on said fulcrums, said leversbeing rockable from a concentric portion of said fulcrums onto aneccentric portion during the compression stroke of the pistons and beingrockable from said eccentric portion onto a concentric portion duringthe power stroke of the pistons.

7'. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having open ends and acombustion space in an intermediate portion thereof, a crankshaftrotatable about an axis extending transversely to the axis of thecylinder and offset therefrom, a pair of opposed power pistonsreciprocable in -said cylinder, said cylinder having an exhaust portlocated to be uncovered by one of said pistons during its power strokeand an inlet port located to be uncovered by the other piston during itspower stroke, fulcrums located adjacent said open ends of the cylinderand having concentric and eccentric convex bearing portions, meansoperably connecting said pistons with said crankshaft including leversrockable on said fulcrums, said levers being rockable from theconcentric portions of said fulcrums onto the eccentric portions thereofduring the compression stroke of the pistons and being rockable fromsaid eccentric portions onto said concentric portions during the powerstroke so that the piston travel during the latter stroke will alwaysend at a desired point relative to said ports, and means for shiftingsaid fulcrums to vary the extent of movement of said levers onto saideccentric portions during the 'compression stroke of the pistons forvarying the compression ratio of the engine.

8. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a crankshaft offsetfrom said cylinder and rotatable about an axis lying substantially inthe transverse mid-plane of the cylinder, a pair of opposed powerpistons reciprocable in said cylinder, cams spaced from the outer endsof said cylinder and mounted for arcuate movement about ilxed axeslocated between substantially parallel planes which include the axis ofthe cylinder and the axis of the crankshaft, linkages operablyconnecting said pistons with said crankshaft and fulcrumed on said cams,and means for imparting arcuate movement to said cams so as to shift thefulcrum points of said linkages and vary the compression ratio of theengine.

9. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a crankshaft offsetfrom said cylinder and rotatable about an axis lying substantially inthe transverse mid-plane of the cylinder, a pair of opposed powerpistons reciprocable in said cylinder, cams spaced from the outer endsof said cylinder and mounted for arcuate movement about nxed axeslocated between substantially parallel planes which include the axis ofthe cylinder and the axis of the crankshaft, linkages operablyconnecting said pistons with said crankshaft and including leversrockably engaging said cams on the cylinder side thereof, means forholding said levers against said cams, and means for imparting arcuatemovement to said cams so as to shift the points of rocking engagement ofsaid levers therewith and vary the compression ratio of the engine.

10. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder, a crankshaft ollsetfrom said cylinder and rotatable about an axis lying substantially inthe transverse mid-plane of the cylinder, a pair of opposed powerpistons reciprocable in said cylinder hollow brackets adjacent the outerends of said cylinder, fulcrums mounted in said brackets for arcuatemovement about xed axes and having concentric and eccentric convexbearing portions, means operably connecting said pistons with saidcrankshaft including levers extending through said brackets and rockableon said fulcrums, said levers being rockable from said concentricportions of said fulcrums onto the eccentric portions during thecompression stroke of said pistons, and means for shifting said fulcrumson said xed axes for varying the extent of movement oi said levers ontosaid eccentric portions so as to vary the compression ratio of theengine.

11. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having an open end anda combustion space inwardly of said open end, a crankshaft extendingtransversely to the axis of the cylinder and offset therefrom, a powerpiston reciprocable in said cylinder, a fulcrum adjacent said open endof the cylnder and having a convex bearing surface, means operablyconnecting said power piston with said crankshaft including an elongatedlever rockable on said fulcrum, a shoe interposed between said lever andfulcrum, said shoe being slidable on said lever longitudinally thereofand having a recessed portion engaging said convex bearing surface, andmeans for moving said fulcrum so as to vary the rocking movement of saidlever and alter the compression ratio of the engine.

12. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having open ends and acombustion space in an intermediate portion thereof, a crankshaftrotatable about an axis oiset from the cylinder and extendingtransversely to the cylinder at substantially the midplane thereof, apair of opposed power pistons reciprocable in said cylinder, saidcylinder having inlet and exhaust ports located to be uncovered by saidpistons during the power stroke thereof, hollow brackets mountedadjacent the ends of said cylinder, fulcrums mounted in said bracketsfor arcuate movement about xed axes and having concentric and eccentricconvex bearing portions, levers extending through said brackets androckable on said fulcrums, rods connecting the ends of the respectivelevers with said pistons and said crankshaft, said levers being rockablefrom said concentric portions of said fulcrums onto said eccentricportions during the compression stroke of the pistons, and meansincluding cooperating gear elements for arcuately shifting said fulcrumsto alter the positions of said eccentric portions and vary thecompression ratio of the engine.

- 13. An internal combustion engine as defined in claim 11, in which thefulcrum is an eccentric and the recessed portion of said shoe isarcuately shiftable on said eccentric during the rocking of said lever.

14. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having open ends and acombustion space in an intermediate portion thereof, a crank shaftrotatable about an axis extending transversely to the axis of thecylinder and offset therefrom, a pair of opposed power pistonsreciprocable in said cylinder, means providing fulcrums adjacent theopen ends of the cylinder and each having a convex bearing surface whichincludes concentric and eccentric portions, means operably connectingsaid pistons with said crank shaft including levers located wholly onthe cylinder side of said fulcrums and each having a bearing surfaceexternally thereof, said levers being adapted to oscillate on saidfulcrums by rocking of the external bearing surfaces of the leversagainst the convex bearing surfaces of the fulcrum such that the pointsof contact therebetween travel back and forth from the concentricportions to the eccentric portions and vice versa during reciprocationof said pistons.

15. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having an open end anda combustion space inwardly of said open end, a crank shaft extendingtransversely to the axis of the cylinder and offset therefrom, a powerpiston reciprocable in said cylinder, means providing a fulcrum adjacentsaid open end of the cylinder, said fulcrum having a convex bearingsurface which includes concentric and eccentric portions, means operablyconnecting said power piston with said crank shaft including a leverlocated wholly on the cylinder side of said fulcrum and having a bearingsurface externally thereof, said lever being adapted to oscillate onsaid fulcrum by rocking of the external bearing surface of the leveragainst the convex bearing surface of the fulcrum such that the point ofcontact therebetween travels back and forth from the concentric portionto the eccentric portion and vice versa during reciprocation of saidpiston, and resiliently acting means for holding said lever against saidfulcrum.

16. In an internal combustion engine, a frame containing a cylinderhaving an open end and `provided with a combustion space inwardly ofsaid open end, a crank shaft extending transversely to the axis of thecylinder and offset therefrom, a, power piston reciprocable in saidcylinder, a hollow bracket connected with said frame adjacent the openend of said cylinder, a fulcrum supported by said bracket and having aconvex bearing surface which includes concentric and eccentric portions,means operably connecting said power piston with said crank shaftincluding a lever extending through said hollow bracket and locatedwholly on the cylinder side of said fulcrum and having a, bearingsurface externally thereof, said lever being adapted to oscillateonfsaid fulcrum by rocking of the external bearing surface of the leveragainst the convex bearing surface of the fulcrum such that the point ofcontact therebetween travels back and forth from the concentric portionto the eccentric portion and vice versa during the reciprocation of saidpiston.

17. In an internal combustion engine, having a frame containing acylinder having an open end and provided with a combustion spaceinwardly of said open end, a crank shaft extending transversely to theaxis of the cylinder and offset therefrom, a power piston reciprocablein said cylinder, a hollow bracket connected with said frame and locatedadjacent said open end of the cylinder, a fulcrum supported by saidbracket and having a convex bearing surface which includes concentricand eccentric portions, means operably connecting said power piston withsaid crank shaft including a lever extending through said hollow bracketand located .wholly on 'the cylinder side of said fulcrum and having abearing surface externally thereof. said lever being adapted tooscillate on said fulcrum by rocking of the external bearing surface ofthe lever against the convex bearing surface of the fulcrum such thatthe point of contact therebetween travels back and forth from theconcentric portion to the eccentric and vice versa during reciprocationof the piston, and a link having pivotal connection with said bracketand said connecting means for supporting the latter.

18. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having an open end anda combustion space inwardly of said open end, a crank shaft extendingtransversely to the axis of the cylinder and offset therefrom, a powerpiston reciprocable in said cylinder, a fixed shaft adjacent said openend of the cylinder. a fulcrum element carried by said fixed shaft andhaving a convex bearing surface which includes concentric and eccentricportions, said fulcrum element being of a larger cross-sectionaldimension than said fixed shaft and having ends spaced longitudinallyYof the fixed shaft, and means operably connecting said power pistcnwithsaid crank shaft including a lever located wholly on the cylinder sideof said fixed shaft and having a bearing surface externally thereof,said lever being adapted to oscillate on said fulcrum element by rockingof the 35 e external bearing surface of the lever against the convexAbearing surface of the fulcrum element such that the point of contacttherebetween travels back and forth from the concentric bearing portionto the eccentric bearing portion and vice versa during the reciprocationof said piston and said lever having shoulder portions on opposite sidesof said external bearing surface which overlap the ends of the fulcrumelement.

19. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder having an open end anda combustion space inwardly of said open end, a crank shaft extendingtransversely to the axis of the cylinder and offset therefrom, a powerpiston reciprocable in said cylinder, a fixed shaft adjacent said openend of the cylinder, a fulcrum sleeve journaled on said fixed shaft andhaving a convex bearing surface which includes concentric and eccentricportions, means operably connecting said power piston with said crankshaft including a lever located wholly on the cylinder side of saidfixed shaft and having a bearing surface externally thereof, said leverbeing adapted to oscillate on said fulcrum sleeve by rocking of theexternal bearing surface of the lever against the convex bearing surfaceof the fulcrum sleeve such that the point of contact therebetweentravels back and forth from the concentric portion to the eccentricportion and vice versa during the reciprocation of said piston, saidfulcrum sleeve being arcuately shiftable on said fixed shaft, and meansfor causing such arcuate shifting of the fulcrum sleeve to vary thecompression ratio of the engine.

HENRI J. HICKEY.

